Music

Washington label signs Cleveland horrorcore band American Werewolves

By D.X. Ferris 

Cleveland's American Werewolves will release their next two albums on the Washington-based indie label Robot Monster Inc. The horror-themed rock group will play a CD-release show for the new album The Lonely Ones on Friday, May 9, at the Pirate's Cove (2083 East 21st Street, inside Peabody's).

"When [we] founded this label, we put together a short list of bands that we thought would be ideal to support," says Robot Monster partner Jake Harrison. "And American Werewolves were definitely high on that list. Their strong and established branding, uncompromising composition, and quality of work are definitely traits we're proud to put our name on."

The Robot Monster deal looks like a good fit. Both albums will have an initial pressing of 1,000 copies — which will be distributed through the label's Cargo network, a special music-merchandise bundle on online store Interpunk.com. The company's roster includes Washington's Church for Sinners and Cincinnati's the Epidemic. Appropriately, 10 percent of the label's profits go to Wolftown, a Washington wolf and wildlife rescue.

Within the next few weeks, Robot Monster will release American Werewolves' second CD, a comprehensive retrospective of the band and its previous incarnations — which grew from Misfits-style hardcore to oldies-influenced punk rock. The anthology, They Died Crawling, will include unreleased nuggets plus the group's two previous albums, 2003's We Won't Stay Dead and 2005's 1968.

Frontman Trevor Moment says the comp will also feature demos, covers of Samhain's "Black Dream" and Sam the Sham's "Li'l Red Riding Hood," 2001's Atom Age Vampire EP (which was recorded when the band was still called the Plan), and material that was recorded for the first album and then scrapped.

"I personally like this stuff more than We Won't Stay Dead," says Moment. "The recording is cool, way faster, more ol' hardcore kinda feel."

• After a two-year layoff, Who Killed Marilyn?'s Escape the Scene lineup has reunited. Scene readers voted the hard emo band Best New Artist in 2006. The group plays an all-ages return show on Friday, May 9, at Peabody's (2083 East 21st Street). Mainman Chris Marinin says the band has a new EP — which will be available exclusively at this show — that features new songs, old tunes, and a cover of Jimmy Eat World's "Bleed American."

• Years of Fire has also reunited. The Cleveland all-star brute-metal masters have a new singer, Kris Heming, and have posted new material at www.myspace.com/yearsoffire. The band is being guided by LaMafia, Chimaira bassist Jim LaMarca's management company. Years returns to action on Saturday, May 10, at Peabody's, opening for Jason "J. Mann" Popson's Pitch Black Forecast.

• Actor Crispin Glover joined 89.3-FM WCSB's 669 late-night radio show when he was in town to promote his movie What Is It? He discussed the film industry, his personal and professional life, and Cleveland's alternative scene for more than two hours. The entire show is archived at www.669radio.com/crispin.html.

• Wild Cherry singer-songwriter-guitarist Rob Parissi will appear at the Rock Hall (1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard) for an extended interview and Q&A session on Thursday, May 8. Launched in Steubenville, Wild Cherry is best known for "Play That Funky Music," a Grammy-nominated No. 1 single that was later sampled by Vanilla Ice. Parissi, the group's mainman, led the band through four records and stayed in the music business between stints as a steakhouse manager. DJ. Parissi will also perform on Saturday, May 10, as part of the Rock Hall's It's Only Rock and Roll gala at the Cleveland Convention Center (500 Lakeside Avenue).